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Thanks to a state grant, the University of North Georgia's (¹û¶³´«Ã½) Public Safety Academy has more tools to train its criminal justice students in de-escalation and the use of force.

¹û¶³´«Ã½ received more than $257,000 from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to update the simulator that helps train students on firearms. As part of the grant, ¹û¶³´«Ã½ will research how education affects these future officers' ability to make decisions on the use of force.

The virtual reality system purchased through the grant gives students the chance to assess potential situations from three different directions and work on skills to defuse conflict.

"It's a high-speed system that helps them understand some of the potential issues that could arise," Dr. Butch Newkirk, academy director and assistant professor of criminal justice, said. "The simulator presents students with a wide variety of realistic scenarios to practice their skills before they become officers."

¹û¶³´«Ã½'s academy, which graduated its first class in 2019, is rare in the United States. It combines a four-year criminal justice degree with peace officer standards and training (POST) certification for law enforcement.

The simulator presents students with a wide variety of realistic scenarios to practice their skills before they become officers.

Dr. Butch Newkirk

¹û¶³´«Ã½ Public Safety Academy director and assistant professor of criminal justice

That unique approach helped ¹û¶³´«Ã½ stand out in its grant application.

"We want to document our efforts so others can learn from what we have done and apply it to their situations," Newkirk said.

Dr. Holly Verhasselt, associate provost for institutional effectiveness, said the Public Safety Academy did a great job securing the grant and creating a plan to implement it.

"¹û¶³´«Ã½'s values highlight the significance of having a student focus, promoting community engagement, and providing service to our communities," Verhasselt said. "This project provides an opportunity for our faculty and staff to put these values into action."

Braxton Massey, a senior from Jacksonville, Florida, pursuing a degree in criminal justice, said the training enabled by the simulator is a valuable experience for future officers training at ¹û¶³´«Ã½.

"The main goal is getting us to be able to talk to people and understand different situations," Massey said.